UPFRONT

British Airways launches First seat with sliding door

BRITISH AIRWAYS has released images of its new First seat featuring sliding privacy doors, installed on its new B777-300 aircraft. The airline made the decision to fit the doors to the First suite following the success of the Club Suite business class product launched last year. At this stage it’s not known how many new aircraft will feature the seat, or if there are plans to retrofit existing long-haul planes. While the timing might seem odd, these aircraft would have been ordered in advance of the Covid-19 crisis, and the carrier was unable to defer their delivery.

GATWICK TO INTRODUCE DROP›OFF FEE

GATWICK AIRPORT HAS ANNOUNCED plans to levy a £5 fee for vehicles dropping off travellers from next year. The airport describes the fee as a forecourt charge payable for those vehicles who drop off passengers in front of the terminals. A specific start date has yet to be confirmed, and it’s also not clear what length of drop-off time will be covered by the fee. Gatwick argues that “most UK airports have done this for many years” and that “the revenue raised will help the airport continue its recovery from the economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis”.

For travellers who use Gatwick’s rail station (connected to the South Terminal) to travel